Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/615

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI ooa Henry L. Clark. In 1868 he moved to De- Lassus in St. Francois county, where he con- tinued to live until his death. He owned dur- ing all his life the greater part of the grants made by the Spanish government to his grand- father. One of the prominent persons of Southeast Missouri during this period was General James R. MeCormack, of Farmington, ilis- souri. He was born August 1, 1824, in Washington coiinty. He was ediieated in the common schools and in Transylvania Institute in Kentucky. He was graduated from the Memphis Medical College and practiced medi- cine for a time in Wayne county and in Perry count3^ On the breaking out of the war he was appointed surgeon of the Sixth Infantry of Missouri. These men were enlisted for a term of six months and at the expiration of their term. Dr. MeCormack was made briga- dier general for Southeast Missouri. The brigade consisted of seven regiments and General MeCormack remained in command until the close of the war. He was regarded as a good officer and was held in esteem liv his superiors. At the close of the war he practiced his profession for a time at Arcadia and later became a citizen of Farmington, Missouri. General MeCormack had some ex- perience in politics, having been a member of the constitutional convention in 1861 and later serving in the state senate and in 1867 being elected to till a vacancy in the United States congress. He was interested in pub- lic affairs in his community and was regarded as one of its most prominent and influential citizens. Milton P. Cayce was a Virginian, having been born in that state in 1804. He was reared on a farm and then served as a sales- man in a store. He came to Farmington in 1832 and began the conduct of a general store. He continued as a merchant for more than fifty years and during that time accu- mulated considerable property. Besides his mercantile business he was also a contractor and the owner of a flouring mill. He had other interests, among them a tan yard and several farms. The first ice house in St. Francois county was built by Mr. Cayce, and he is said to have owned the first piano. Mr. Cayce was a Democrat and served for more than twenty years as county treasurer. He was also a sherifi: at one time in the county and was a member of the constitutional conven- tion in 1861. Few men in the history of Farmington occupy a higher place in the es- teem and respect of the citizens than did Mr. Cayce. One of the interesting men of this period was Captain Gustavus St. Gem. He was a member of the old St. Gem family, one of the earliest families to emigrate from France to America. They seem to have located in Ste. Genevieve about 1780, and that during all the rest of the history of the town were among its prominent citizens. Gustavus St. Gem was educated at St. Vincent 's College at Cape Girardeau. On returning from college he engaged in business in Ste. Genevieve for a time and then removed to Washington coun- ty, where he became interested in mining. During the war he was an officer in the Fed- eral army and served with credit during the entire time. He was captain of Company K of the Forty-seventh Missouri Infantry. In 1878, President Hayes appointed him collector of customs in St. Louis. Captain St. Gem lived to be very old and died having the uni- versal respect of his friends and neighbors in Ste. Genevieve. N